154 HUNGARIAN LITERAT URE of hope and despair, wearing out my own strength. My life was full of sadness, and h ope seidom shone upo n my youth. "Thus it came about that in the year t 825, after passing through severe mental confticts, and rea lising that no one shared my view, or, if he did, would dare to act, I swo re to myself that I, relying not upon my talents, but on the purity of my intentions and on my constancy, would devote myself whoily to the work of calling my country back to life. I was ebeered by a few hopeful signs, but I resolved that even if I remained alone or perished in the struggle, I would unhesitatingly tread the path which the spirit within me pohlied out. After loyally servi ng my king during my military career, I would dedicate th e rest of my life to my country, and I stepped out upon the' field of public life, so thickly strewn with thorns, resolved that I, if no one else, would try to revíve my country's former dignity, and wo uld devote ali my life and energy to the task. Three main characteristics gave Széchenyi's work its epoch-making value. The first is that he directed the attention of the nation to financial interests. There had been emin ent statesmen and politicians before Széch enyi and there were others contemporary with bim, but they were chiefty jurists, and hardly any one recognised th e importan ce of political economy, industry, commerce and means of communication, the very things upon which Hungary's future largely depended. Széchenyi's political faith was that Hungary must become more wealthy in order that she might become free and cultured. He awoke th e nation from the torpor into which it had fa llen and bade it cease to ponder over its rights and the infrac tions of them, and turn to the more important problem of reviving its prosperity.
